Below are the answers to some questions we've been asked recently.
Ashley Simpson, aged 15 with
a handicap of 5, from Fulford asks:
"I can often go through a round not missig a shot,
but now and again the odd snap hook creeps in and ruins my card.
How can I stop this? Pease help me!"
First of all, as Ashley who plays off 5 proves,
snap hooks can happen to anyone at anytime. A few quick fixes
- like weakening your grip or swinging more steeply - can help
if a hook shows up unannounced during a round. But to get rid
of an out-of-control hook for good, you need to understand its
two main causes and learn how to stop them from turning your
gentle draw into a floundering duck.
Cause One: Left-Wrist Breakdown
Check if you're setting up with your hands too far behind the
ball. While this position may work for higher handicappers trying
to make a fuller release, it only exaggerates your already strong
hand action. If you position the back of your left hand slightly
ahead of the ball at address, that hand will lead the club into
impact without breaking down and closing the clubface.
Cause Two: Left Hip Spin-Out
Good players allow their left hip to rotate, or "clear,"
as they swing down to impact. But a hook often results from
the left hip spinning out too soon, causing the right arm and
hand to close the clubface before impact.Starting with the hips
open to the target line promotes a spin-out. So square your
hips at address, then make a conscious effort to move them laterally
toward the target before allowing the left side to clear. This
will keep the club slightly behind you and prevent the face
from closing too soon.
We hope this hopes you Ashley, and anyone else who has ever
suffered from the dreaded snap hook!
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Robert Simpson, aged 13, from
Fulford asks:
"How do I get backspin?"
To get backspin on a
golf ball you must hit the ball prior to taking a divot. This
means the club is is traveling down towards the ground when
it hits the ball.If you do it properly you should notice the
divot will begin somewhere ahead of where the back of the ball
was. The further ahead of the ball this divot is, the more the
spin on the ball. The longer the grass underneath the ball,
the harder it is to get backspin, as the longer grass acts as
a sort of cushion underneath the ball. This is why it is very
hard to get backspin out of the rough. To make sure you get
the maximum amountof backspin, you should always ensure your
clubface is clean and there is no mud, sand, etc in the grooves,
as it is these that grip the ball and give the backspin.
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Kealan Ashley, aged 8, from
Runcorn asks:
"How do I get out of a bunker every time?"
First of all Kealan, I'm not sure every golfer
gets out of a bunker every time. Not even Tiger, Vijay and Ernie!
But the tips below should help make sure you get out of them
more often than not.
Tip 1: Keep the clubface open.
Imagine the clubface is a mirror and that you can see your face
in it. You should try to keep the clubface turned towards you
right through to the finish of the shot.
Tip 2: Splash some sand. Focus on sliding a
thin "divot" of sand from under the ball and onto
the green. Open the clubface a few degrees clockwise (anti-clockwise
for a left-hander) and line up slightly to the left. Splash
the sand towards the target and the ball should follow.
Tip 3: Make a steep swing. This increases your
chances of getting under the ball properly. Keep practising
a steeper swing in the sand until it feels natural.
Tip 4: Chipping from bunkers. There are times
when the type of "explosion" shot described above
is not necessary and maybe even the wrong shot to play. For
example, if the lip of the bunker is low and there is some green
between you and the hole. It should be played like a normal
chip shot but with two slight changes. First, grip the club
lower down the shaft (as far down as is comfortable). Secondly,
focus your eyes on the left hand side of the ball, as opposed
to the right half as you do with normal shots (reverse for left-handers).
This helps you to hit the ball cleanlt - essential for all chip
shots.
Tip 5: Fairway bunkers. First, and most importantly,
make sure you take a club with sufficient loft to get you over
the lip of the bunker. Nothing is worse than hitting a shot
cleanly, only to see it smash into the face of the bunker and
not get out. To hit it far down the fairway, you must catch
it cleanly - that means removing as little sand as possible.
Stand up tall and grip the shaft a few centimetres down the
shaft. Don't shuffle your feet in the sand as you would on a
normal bunker shot - try to remain on the surface. Play the
ball a few centimetres back in your stance to guarantee you
catch the ball and not the sand. Keep the swing short and pick
the ball off the top of the sand.
I hope these tips help. Remember the best way
to improve your game is to keep practising!
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for Young Golfer? Click here to ask it.
Edward Reyes, aged 13, from
East Sussex asks:
"Why do I keep fading the ball and how can I keep
it straight?"
A fade can be caused by the clubface being open
at the point of impact. This puts spin on the ball, causing
it to bend to the right (for a right-hander) or the left (for
a left-hander). There are four main reasons why the clubface
may be open:
1. incorrect grip
2. incorrect hand action
3. incorrect arm action
4. trying to hit the ball too hard
As well as the clubface being open, a fade could also be the
result of your swing going from out to in.
As a simple exercise, start on the practice
ground with a 5 or 6 iron (you can move up to longer clubs,
including the driver, once you've got the hang of it). You might
also want to just start with a half swing and gradually build
it up. First of all keep your hands relaxed throughout the swing.
This helps generate feel. Now think about exaggerating in the
opposite direction. Therefore, because a fade or slice means
the club is traveling across to the left and facing open to
the right, try swinging slightly out to the right with the club
facing to the left. (Although this may feel very exaggerated,
it will feel more normal once you get used to it.) Remember
to swing slowly at first, and only with a half swing. As you
increase the speed and length of the swing the ball should travel
straighter and may even start to draw! Every now and then swing
in slow motion and see where the club face is when you reach
the ball. Keep doing this exercise enough and it will become
part of your normal swing.
Hopefully this should stop you fading the ball
and even add some distance onto your shots. If you're still
having problems, ask your pro to have a look at your swing to
see if he can help.
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